Rope clamp



April 13 1926. 4 1,580,575

| R. TOMPKINS I ROPE CLAMP Filed Feb. 5 1925 Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNl-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS Rt TOMPKINS, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO- GEORGE E. SHEA. OF QUARRYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROPE CLAMP.

. Application filed February 5, 1925. Serial No. 7,173.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Lnwrs R. TOMPKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic City, in the county of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rope clamps and more particularly to such a device adapted for use with clothes line poles or props for maintaining the clothes line in proper position.

An importantobject of the invention is 'toprovide a device "of the above mentioned character having a clamping element adapted' to engage the rope or line within the.

notch usually provided in the upper end of a clothes line prop for maintaining the line in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction which is adapted for attachment to a clothes line prop and having a clampingelement which isadapted to be conveniently moved downwardly into engagement with the clothes line, means being provided for engaging the clamping member for maintaining it in clamping position. r

Other objects and advantages of the.invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes line prop showing the device applied,

Figure 2 is a side elevation ta en at right angles to Figure 1, parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is aplan view, and,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the bracket and cam.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates an ordinary clothes line prop usually formed rectangular in cross section as shown and provided in its upper end with a V-shaped notch 11 adapted to receive a line 12 therewithin.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the numeral 13 designates a plate provided with apertures 14 for receiving screws 15 whereby the plate may be secured against the side of the prop near its upper end. The plate 13 is provided with a'reduced portion 16 which projects beyond the edge of the prop as shown. in Figures 2 and 3. A substantially U-shaped' bracket 17 is arranged against the reduced portion, 16v as shown in Figure 4. The base portion 18 of the vbracket is preferably arranged against the edge of the prop. while one of the arms 19 of the bracketis se-v cured by rivets 20 or the. like tov the extension 16. The arms 19 and extensions 16. are provided with alined openings 21 for a purpose to be described- A bar 22; is connected between the arms of the bracket and is rigidly secured thereto.-

Referring to Figure 2, the numeral 23 designates a line engaging member preferably formed of flat metal as shown. The body portion of themember 23 is preferably substantially parallel to the bar 22. to be engaged thereby and the upper end of the member 23 is bent as at at to pass over the end of the prop. The member 23' is further providedtnear its upper end with a depending portion .25 terminating in an engaging end 26 twisted at right angles thereto and provided with a cut-out end 27 adapted to engage the line 12 as shown: Thelower end 1 of the member 23 is turned outwardly as at 28 to provide a fingerpiece orhandle.

A cam 29 is arranged between the arms 19 of the bracket 17'. The cam-isprovided with eccentric pins 30-at itsvends adapted.- to. be

journaled in the openings 21., The -camais provided with an operating handde ex' tending outwardly and downwardly therefrom.

The operation of the device is as follows:

One of the arms 19 of the bracket is riveted as at 20 to the extension 16 whereupon the bar 22 and cam 29 are arranged in position. The other arm 19 of the bracket is then bent inwardly so that the outer pin 30 is arranged in the opening 21'thereof. The ends of the bar 22 then may be removed to maintain the arms 19 in parallel relation to prevent the cam 29 from becoming displaced. The engaging member 23 may be inserted in position by raising the handle 31 and inserting the lower end between the bar 22 and cam 29. With the line in position as shown in Figure 2, the finger piece 28 may be depressed by the operator to bring the end 26 of the member 23 into firm engagement with the line. The handie 31 is then moved downwardly swinging the cam 29 about the pins 30 until the cam firmly engages the member 23 to prevent it from moving upwardly. It will be apparent that any tendency of the member 23 to move upwardly will revolve the cam 29 whereby it will more firmly engage the holding member to prevent upward movement thereof. The provision of the plate 13 allows the device to be easily applied to a clothes line prop since the screws for securing it in position will be readily accessible from the side of the prop.

It is to be understood that the term of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without dermrting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a clothes line prop having a notch in its upper end for supporting a line, a manually movable member arranged adjacent one side of said prop and having its upper end turned to extend downwardly into said notch to engage said line, a stationary element arranged against one side of said member, and a cam carried by said prop and adapted to bind said member oetwecn said cam and said stationary element.

2. A device of the character described comprising a clothes line prop having a notch in its upper end for supporting a line, a bracket secured against one side of said prop, a member having a portion arranged substantially parallel to said prop. and e tending through said bracket, a portion of said bracket contacting with one side of said. member, said member having its upper end turned to extend downwardly into said notch to engage the line, and clamping means carried by said bracket and adapted to bind said member between said clamping means and said bracket portion.

3. A device of the character described comprising a clothes line prop having a notch in its upper end for supporting a line, a plate secured to one side of said prop, a substantially U-shaped bracket carried by said plate and having its base portion arranged against another side of the prop a member arranged adjacent said prop and extending through said bracket, one side of said member being adapted to contact with a portion of said bracket, said member having its upper end turned to extend downwardly into such notch to engage the line. and a cam mounted between the arms of said bracket and adapted to bind said member between said clamping means and said bracket portion.

4. A device of the character described comprising a clothes line prop having a notch in its upper end for supporting the line, a plate secured to one side of said prop, a substantially U-shaped bracket carried by said plate andhaving its base portion arranged against another side of the prop, a bar connected between the arms of said bracket near the base portion thereof, a cam rotatably mounted between the arms of said bracket substantially parallel to said bar a member arranged substantially parallel to the prop and extending between said bar and said cam, said member having its upper end turned to extend downwardly into said notch-to engage, the line, said cam being rotatable to grip said member between its inner face and said bar to prevent disengagement of the end of said member from the line, said member having its lower end turned outwardly to provide an operating handle.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signatn re.

LEWIS R. TOMPKINS. 

